Electrical industry of burma/myanmar

SHWELI-1 HYDROPOWER PLANT OFFICIALLY INAUGURATED

NLM, 17/05/09. Edited and condensed. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs07/NLM2009-05-17.pdf

Shweli-1 hydropower plant, 17 miles southwest of Namkham in Shan State North, was opened on 16 May 2009. Speaking on the occasion Prime Minister Thein Sein said it was the first of three large-scale hydropower projects to be implemeneted on the Shweli river. The project was also the first which had been completed as a co-operative effort between Myanmar and the People’s Republic of China and it was fitting that it should be located on the Shweli which originates in China but flows for much of its course through Myanmar where it empties into the Ayeyawady. The Shweli-1 plant was currently the largest power station in Myanmar and the nation's hydropower generating capacity was now in excess of 1400 megawatts. But projects currently underway in the basins of the Ayeyawady, Chindwin, Sittoung and Thanlwin rivers would eventually generate over 32,900 megawatts. Although Myanmar did not have enough electricity at present, in the not-too-distant future, it would be able to not only fulfill domestic electricity needs but also sell power surpluses to foreign countries.*
The Shweli hydropower plant opened today would also fulfill the electricity needs of Shan State North as well as that of the nation to a certain extent, the prime minister said. Lashio and Muse had become the commercial hubs of the border area with the PRC. Moreover, swift commodity flow had developed between Shan State North and interior regions of the country. The Mandalay-Lashio-Muse Union Highway, the Lashio-Tangyan Road and the Lashio-Laukkai Road had been upgraded and were in fine condition today, he said. In addition, the education and health sectors were making remarkable progress in Lashio. The region has opened universities, colleges and hospitals one after another.
Mr. Kou Wei of the Huaneng Group said that the Shweli-1 hydropower project represented the largest BOT investment by Chinese interests in Myanmar. The assistance of the Ministries of Electric Power Nos 1 & 2 had enabled the difficulties encountered in the project to be overcome successfully. Within the short space of two years and nine months from July 2006 to April 2009, six generators had been successfully brought into operation to produce electricity, thereby cementing the friendship between the two countries, he added.
U Hsan Pu, a Palaung national, spoke words of thanks. He said that since time immemorial, local people had been engaging in cultivation of crops and paddy and trading along both banks of Shweli River. Now, the Shweli-1 hydropower plant was supplying the region with electricity around-the-clock, as well as sharing surplus electricity with the national brethren of Shan State North through the power grid. The local people wanted to join hands with the government to carry out development of the nation and to shape a peaceful and stable nation, he said.
After the opening ceremony, officials conducted the Prime Minister and party round the power plant and gifts were presented to mark the occasion.
Shweli-1 hydropower project is located near Mantat Village, 17 miles southwest of Namkham. The 600-MW power plant receives water through an intake tunnel located at a dam that was built across the Shweli river. It is expected to supply 4022 million kilowatt hours annually to the nation through the power grid.
[A good aerial photo of the power plant accompanies the article in the print edtion of NLM.]
Topographic map reference: Burma 1:250,000: Series U542, U.S. Army Map: NF 47-01: Mong Mit

Shweli no 1 hydropower project near Man Tat village [23° 41' N, 97° 29' E], grid square reference: 12\1, 23\3

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/burma/txu-oclc-6924198-nf47-1.jpg

See also maps in Under the Boot, published by the Palaung (Ta’ang) Youth Network Group, Dec 2007, pp 11, 14, http://www.salweenwatch.org/downloads/UndertheBootEnglish.pdf

Additional references
Data summary Shweli-1
See above: ‘Shweli-2, Shweli-3 dams to displace thousands in Shan State North’ (TYSO: 25/11/11)

See below: ‘Border towns unhappy with power supply from Shweli-1’ (IRROL: 22/07/10)

'China's first BOT hydropower project in Myanmar revs up' (Mekong News: 30/12/06)

'Shweli transmission line contract Signed’ (People/s Daily Online: 10/10/03)

'Contract for Shweli hydropower project signed with YMEC’ (NLM: 09/08/03)
Xinhua, 16/12/11. Excerpt.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/usa/china/2011-12/16/content_14279772.htm

In October 2008, the six 100MW generation units of Shweli River Hydropower Station, currently the largest BOT hydropower project in Myanmar, were officially connected to China Southern Power Grid and began to supply power to China. In 2010, China Southern Power Grid bought a total of 1.72 billion kilowatt-hours of power from the Shweli River and the Dapein hydropower stations in Myanmar. By the end of August 2011, China had imported a total of 4.868 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity from Myanmar

NLM, 20/08/11. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs11/NLM2011-08-20.pdf

An agreement on the purchase of electricity was signed between MEPE and the Shweli-1 Hydropower Co Ltd in Nay Pyi Taw on 17/08/11. Managing Director Khin Maung Zaw signed for MEPE and Mr Jiong Qiuei of Shweli-1 Hydropower Co Ltd signed on behalf of the two companies.

KNG, 15/06/11. http://www.burmariversnetwork.org/news/11-news/589-clash-at-shweli-1-dam-site.html

The KIA’s Battalion 27 clashed with Namtat-based LIB 144 of the Burmese Army at the Shweli-1 hydropower site on the Shweli river in northern Shan State yesterday evening. [Compiler’s note: For related developments in the outbreak of hostilities between the two armies, see recent entries under ‘Tapein-1 hydropower plant in Kachin state officially opened‘]

Capitalvue: 29/12/10. http://www.capitalvue.com/home/CE-news/inset/@10063/post/1271941

China Southern Power Grid imported three TWh of electricity from Myanmar in the first 11 months through its subsidiary, Yunnan Power Grid, reports yicai.com, citing a release by Southern Grid. Based on an average coal consumption of 334 grams per kWh in the first 10 months, imports of electricity from Myanmar saved 1.02 million tons of coal and cut 2.66 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. [Compiler’s comment: It would appear that most of the 3000 GWh of electricity imported from Myanmar by Yunnan Power Grid was sourced from the Shweli-1 power station, as the Tapein-1 power station near the Yunnan border in southern Kachin state did not come online until Sept 2010.]

NLM, 11/09/10. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs09/NLM2010-09-11.pdf

On 08/09/10, MD Aung Than Oo of Myanma Electric Power Enterprise (MEPE) and MD of Shweli-1 Hydropower Co Ltd (SHPC) Ma Lipeng signed contracts [for the supply of power] in Nay Pyi Taw.

NLM, 14/02/10. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs08/NLM2010-02-14.pdf

EPM-1 Zaw Min received Chairman Huang Guangming and President Jiang Diwei and party of the Yunnan United Power Development Co. Ltd (YUPD) of the PRC at the Ministry on 11/02/10. Director-General Myint Zaw of the Hydropower Planning Dept and Ch Huang Guangming of YUPD signed a Supplementary Agreement to the joint agreement for implementing Shweli-1 Hydropower Project and exchanged notes.

NLM, 28/09/09. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs07/NLM2009-09-28.pdf

A power purchase agreement was signed between Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise (MEPE) and Shweli-1 Hydropower Co Ltd at the hall of EPM-2 in Nay Pyi Taw on 24 September. Signing for MEPE was Managing Director Khin Maung Zaw, while Managing Director Ma Lipeng signed on behalf of Shweli-1 Hydropower Co Ltd. [Compiler’s note: For details on the arrangements to supply power from Shweli-1 to Myanmar see entries under China’s first BOT hydropower project in Myanmar].

NLM, 15/05/09. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs07/NLM2009-05-15.pdf

Shweli-1 hydropower plant is due to be equipped with six 100-megawatt generators. So far, five of them have started generating electricity, and the last one will be installed in the plant soon. . . . Shweli-1 hydropower plant will be able to generate 100 more megawatts when the last generator is installed.

NLM, 30/04/09. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs07/NLM2009-04-30.pdf

The control building of the 66/11-kV, 5-MVA Namkham sub-power station is 80pc complete, and the switch yard and electrical installations are 100pc complete. Electricity will be supplied to Namkham, Muse and Kyugok (Pansai) through the Shweli-Namkham-Muse 66-kV power grid.

Xinhua, 06/12/08. http://www.yn.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-12/06/content_15112250.htm

Shweli-1 power station, China's biggest hydropower project in Myanmar, has begun to supply power to China. No 2 generating turbine officially started operations on 04/12/08. The BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) project is the first power station outside the country to supply electricity to China. The hydropower station, located on Myanmar's Shweli (Ruili) river, is [to be] equipped with six 100-MW generating turbines. It is being jointly built by Huaneng Lancang River Hydropower Co, Yunnan Hexing Investment and Development Co, and Yunnan Machinery and Equipment (I-E) Co. The BOT contract will last for 40 years. The generating station is connected to China's power grid, which serves the mission of China's "West-to-East Power Transmission". [Original in Chinese. Translation: Kevin Li]

Country Report Myanmar on Power Development Plans and Transmission Projects, Greater Mekong Region ADB Consultation, 21 November, 2008, pp 25-26.

http://www.adb.org/Documents/Events/Mekong/Proceedings/FG7-RPTCC7-Annex3.4-Myanmar-Presentation.pdf

A diagram lists Yunnan United Power Development Co Ltd (YUPD) and the Dept of Electric Power Implementation of EPM-1 (HPID) as the joint venture partners of Shweli-1 Hydropower Co Ltd (SHPC). YUPD holds 80% of the equity in SHPC and is entitled to 90% of the profit of SHPC, while HPID holds 20% of the equity and is entitled to 10% of the profits of SHPC. The three partners of YUPD are listed as Yunnan Machinery & Equipment Import & Export Corp, Hydro Lancang Co and Hexing Co Ltd. Shweli-1 power station will have six generators with a cap of 100 MW each. No 1 machine will generate 75 MW, No 2 machine will generate 100 MW and No 3 machine will generate 100 MW. Commercial operations are due to start on 05/11/08. For the moment, Myanmar will take only its share of free energy of 15%. A power purchase agreement (PPA) between EPM-2 and and YUPD is currently under negotiation. Myanmar is entitled to purchase up to 300 MW. A cross-border, 72-hour test-run was successfully completed on 23/10/08. It is planned to start the cross border commercial operation with 100 MW.

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OFFICIAL VISIT GIVES IMPETUS TO UPPER SEDAWGYI DAM PROJECT

NLM, 23/04/09. Edited and re-written. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs07/NLM2009-04-23.pdf

Gen Shwe Mann and accompanying party of military officials and cabinet ministers arrived at the worksite of the Upper Hsedawgyi multi-purpose dam project on Nampat creek in Madaya township on 19 April The project is 33 miles upstream from the existing Hsedawgyi dam on the same river and is being implemented by A&IM in co-operation with EPM-1.
The earthen embankment at the site will be 3200 feet long and 240 feet high and the reservoir behind the dam will hold back 500,000 acre feet of water. The position of the embankment was chosen after conducting a feasibility study of three tentative alignments. Preliminary tasks including the construction of an approach road and work on a diversion tunnel and the main embankment and spillway are being carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.
The Ministry of Electric Power No 1 will construct the power intake structure, the intake tunnel, the water tank, the penstock pipes, the power plant, the drain and the switch yard. The Upper Hsedawgyi project to be installed with three 20-megawatt generators which will be capable of producing 315 million kilowatt hours yearly. The construction of the dam will also make it possible to increase the power generation of the existing Hsedawgyi dam from 134 million kwh at present to 194 million kwh annually. Together the two dams will generate a total of 509 million kwh yearly.
The Electric Power Ministry No 2 is making arrangements to supply power from the Hsedawgyi station to the Upper Hsedawgyi worksite.
Gen Shwe Mann stressed the need for the ministries involved to draw up a [co-ordinated] work plan and to supervise the construction tasks, use of manpower, finance, heavy machinery and construction materials.
During the visit of the official party, discussions took place about the areas to be irrigated, river water pumping projects and prospects of extending sown acreage of paddy and local rice sufficiency. The Upper Hsedawgyi dam will feed the Hsedawgyi dam in such a way as to enable the existing dam to irrigate an additional 10,000 acres of summer paddy. Departmental officials of Mandalay division submitted reports on changing crop items in the irrigation areas, increasing sown acreage of crops and extended cultivation of paddy. General Shwe Mann instructed the officials to endeavour to achieve local rice sufficiency in Mandalay and Magway divisions and to give priority to conducting an agricultural census.
The use of the electricity produced at the Upper Hsedawgyi dam for regional purposes in Mandalay division was also discussed. [An aerial photo of the site of the Upper Hsedawgy project is included in the print edition of NLM. The river on which both dams are located is variously known as the Nampai, the Nampok, the Nampat and the Chaungmagyi.]
Topographic map reference: Burma 1:250,000: Series U542, U.S. Army Map: NF 47-05: Maymyo

The Upper Sedawgyi dam, 33 mi from Sedaw [22° 19' N, 96° 19' E], grid square reference: 14\3, 37\1

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/burma/txu-oclc-6924198-nf47-5.jpg

The sluice gate of the dam and the reservoir are clearly visible on Google Earth at 22° 20’ 50” N, 96° 16' E.

Additional references
Data summary: Upper Sedawgyi
For other electric power projects under planning by Htoo Trading Co see: ‘Htoo Trading to build Htakha hydropower project on B.O.T. basis’ and ‘Agreement signed on coal-fired thermal power plant for Yangon’.
See below: ‘Power and irrigation functions of Sedawgyi dam to be improved’ (NLM: 28/12/04)
NLM, 18/08/10. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs09/NLM2010-08-18.pdf

Photo of site of Upper Hsedawgyi hydropower project in Madaya township.

NLM, 22/04/10. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs08/NLM2010-04-22.pdf

Gen Than Shwe and party visit the site of the Upper Hsedawgyi hydropower project in Madaya township where EPM-1 Zaw Min reports that it will be regulating dam upstream of the Hsedawgyi multi-purpose dam in Madaya township. Duties have been assigned to A&IM to build the regulating dam and to EPM-1 to undertake the hydropower buildings. In connection with hydropower installations at the dam the Htoo Trading Co Ltd will assume joint responsibility for the facilities at the Upper Hsedawgyi project. Chairman U Te Za of Htoo Trading reports preparations made by the company, conditions of the main embankment, water diversion tunnel, spillway, power intake structure, water tunnel and intake canal, as well as the main sectors of the project and yearwise tasks. The visitors viewed progress of main embankment and spillway. The regulating dam is expected to control the flow of silt along the river and the water supply at the Lower Hsedawgyi dam. U Te Za also submits reports on preparations for a coal-fired power plant that Htoo Trading will undertake in Htantabin township on the outskirts of Yangon and on the Htakha hydropower project which the company is to implemented on Htakha Creek, three miles southeast of Htanga Village in Machanbaw township.

Wai Moe, IRROL, 04/01/10. Excerpt. http://www.irrawaddy.org/print_article.php?art_id=17523

According to a short report published 31/12/09 in Myanma Alin, EPM-1 and Htoo Trading Co Ltd signed an agreement on 29/12/09 to build, operate and transfer electricity from the Hsedawgyi and Htaka hydro power projects. . . . Sources in the Rangoon business community said the contract between the government and Htoo Co. was for 75 years.

NLM, 01/01/10. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs08/NLM2010-01-01.pdf

An MoU was signed between Hydropower Administration Department of EPM No 1 and Htoo Trading Co Ltd to co-operate in [the development] of the Upper Hsetawgyi and Htakha hydropower projects through the Build-Operate-Transfer (B.O.T) system in Nay Pyi Taw on 29/12/09. EPM-1 Zaw Min extended greetings and Chairman of Htoo Trading Co Ltd U Teza explained the purpose of the MoU. Later, the director-general of the Hydropower Administration Dept and a responsible person of Htoo Trading Co Ltd signed the MoU and exchanged documents.

NLM, 16/11/08. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs5/NLM2008-11-16.pdf

At a co-ordination meeting (1/2008) of the Special Projects Implementation Committee in the office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), EPM No 1 Zaw Min gave a brief account of six completed projects, 22 ongoing projects and 15 hydropower projects that call for the approval of the Committee. [Among] the the fifteen is the Upper Hsedawgyi hydropower project (60 megawatts) in Mandalay division.

"Myanmar Country Report on Progress of Power Development Plans and Transmission Interconnection Projects" (17/06/08), p 15.

http://www.adb.org/Documents/Events/Mekong/Proceedings/PWG5-Appendix4.4.pdf

The Upper Sedawgyi hydropower project with a capacity of 60 MW will be implemented in the near future.

Franco – ASEAN Seminar Myanmar Country Presentation, 06-07/09/07.

http://www.jgsee.kmutt.ac.th/seminar_programme/DAY%202/Country%20Report%202/Tin%20-%20Myanmar%20-%20Presentation.pdf

The Upper Sedawgyi dam will be 73.2 m [240 ft] high and the power station with a planned capacity of 60 MW is expected to generate 315 million kWh annually. It is currently in the planning stage and will be carried out by the ID and HPID,

NLM, 23/09/06. http://mission.itu.ch/MISSIONS/Myanmar/06nlm/n060923.htm

Hsedawgyi supporting dam will be built 33 miles from Hsedawgyi dam in Madaya township. Chaungmagyi creek, where Hsedawgyi dam is situated, can provide more water than the water storage capacity of the dam. In addition to generating electricity and supplying irrigation water, 800,000 acre feet of water are being released from the dam. To make full use of water supply of Hsedawgyi creek, Hsedawgyi supporting dam project has to be undertaken. On completion, 60 MW of electricity can be generated and the Hsedawgyi dam will generate 60 million kWh of electricity.

NLM, 28/12/04. www.myanmar.gov.mm/NLM-2004/Dec04/enlm/Dec28_h14.html

Lt-Gen Thein Sein and party inspected the project site of Nanpet dam. It will be a supporting facility for Sedawgyi multi-purpose dam in Madaya township. Director of Construction Group No 4 of the ID Maung Maung Tin and Director of Mandalay division Irrig Dept Aye Thein reported on the project. The water storage capacity of the Sedawgyi multi-purpose dam, which was built in 1987, is only 363,000 acre feet. 800,000 acre feet of overflow water from the dam is diverted to the spillways each year. For full utilization of water from Chaungmagyi creek on which the Sedawgyi dam is built, Nanpet dam is being implemented on Nanpet Creek [aka Nampok, Nampai, Chaungmagyi], 12 [32?] miles upstream from the Sedawgyi dam. The supporting dam will be able to generate 60 MW and will contribute to the generation of electric power from Sedawgyi dam.

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BHAMO WITHOUT ELECTRICITY FOR FOUR DAYS

Kachin News Group, 20/04/09. http://www.kachinnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=796

Residents of Bhamo in lower Kachin state have been without electricity for four days and nights after fierce winds laced with heavy rain uprooted electric poles, throughout the city.
A resident of Bhamo told KNG today that most of the electric poles in Bhamo are wooden. Many of them were uprooted by the storm which hit the area last weekend. This happens frequently whenever the gusty winds and heavy rains sweep through the upper Irrawaddy valley where the city is located.
Generally, the supply of electricity in Bhamo is appallingly poor, and residents do not get power regularly. Electricity supply is in rotation every two days, except when the city is visited by military officials. "When officials visit, electricity is available. The electricity supply is cut off when the officials go back home," a local person said,
The China Datang Corporation is constructing two dams and hydropower plant on the Taping River near the Sino-Burma border in the Bhamo district. However electricity generated at the plants is to be sold to neighbouring China, said local sources.
Additional references
NLM, 11/07/10. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs09/NLM2010-07-11.pdf

Construction work is underway at Bhamo subpower plant in Hanhe village

NLM, 23/06/99. http://mission.itu.ch/MISSIONS/Myanmar/99nlm/n990623.htm

A ceremony to put a 66-KV power grid into service was held at the power sub-station in Bahmo on 21/06/99. A crowd exceeding 60,000 people from Bahmo, Shwegu, Moemauk and Mansi townships was present for the occasion. Brig-Gen Tin Soe of Bahmo Station and U Soe Myint Lwin, assistant chief engineer of MEPE for Kachin State, opened the sub-station. The 66-KV power grid is formed by transmission lines that stretch 153 miles from the mining town of Kaukpahtoe in Kawlin township through Shwegu to Bahmo. It was built at a cost of US$2.596 million and K275.775 million provided by the government, and K3.51 million contributed by the public beginning in May 1996. Power can now be supplied to Bahmo, Moemauk and Shwegu round the clock.

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PM CALLS FOR BIO-BATTERIES IN EVERY CYCLONE-HIT HOUSEHOLD

NLM, 07/04/09. [edited and condensed] http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs6/NLM2009-04-07.pdf

Prime Minister Sein Thein and top officials of the military government visited several of the villages badly destroyed by Cyclone Nargis in Bogale township on 5 April. On arrival at Kadonkani, the PM and party viewed hillocks and cyclone shelters that are under construction and checked on efforts to rebuild the village in a motorcade. At the village hall, the Prime Minister demonstrated to townselders and village residents the use of bio-batteries fuelled by buffalo, cow and pig dung in generating electric current. He told the chairman of the village council to make arrangements to light every household in the village using bio-batteries. Afterwards, he was briefed by U Te Za of Htoo companies on the construction of the life-saving hillocks, and cyclone shelters in the village and gave instructions on growing grass planting windbreaks on the hillocks.

In Shwepyi Aye village (Htawpaing) the Gen Thein Sein and party had photos taken together with the local people and the PM again demonstrated the use of a bio-battery fuelled by buffalo, cow and pig dung in providing light. Following this, he instructed the chairman of the village council to make necessary arrangements for the use of a bio-battery in every house, as it saves money and prevents fire. Next, the PM and others in his party presented a generator and blankets for churches, generators and fluorescent lamps for the villagers, solar lamps for education, health and social organizations, farm implements and seeds for farmers to officials concerned.

On their way to Kathamyin village, the PM and his party inspected construction of embankments to prevent the inflow of salt water along the Setsan- Kyonkadun road. At the post-primary school in Kathamyin, the PM told the villagers that his party had chosen to visit some of the places worst-hit by the cyclone. Although he himself could not go to other villages that were not as badly damaged, he had arranged everything necessary for emergencies to be provided in response to reports by the local authorities concerned. Then, Forestry Minister Thein Aung demonstrated how bio-batteries could be used to supply of electricity and the PM and the official visitors presented a generator and blankets for churches, generators and fluorescent lamps for the villagers, solar lamps for education, health and social organizations, farm implements and seeds for farmers to officials concerned. On behalf of the local people, Daw Kapaw Htoo and U Saw Gaylay spoke words of thanks. [The article is accompanied by a photo showing the PM demonstrating the functioning of a bio-battery.]